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South Africa Cabinet Approves Measure To Regulate Private Cannabis Use

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

As of right now, there are only two countries that have legalized cannabis for adult use. Uruguay was the first (2013) and Canada was second (2018).

Two other nations, Mexico and Italy, have court rulings in place that mandate the implementation of a regulated adult-use system, however, compliance with the court decisions has yet to occur in those countries.

A handful of other countries, including the Netherlands, are exploring pilot programs to ‘test the waters’ of cannabis legalization. Assuming that the pilot programs are launched and prove to be successful, those nations could end up legalizing cannabis for adult use sooner rather than later.

One nation that appears to be moving in the right direction is South Africa. South Africa’s cabinet recently approved a measure that would legalize personal cannabis consumption by adults. Per Business Tech:

“This Bill regulates the use and possession of cannabis and the cultivation of cannabis plants by an adult for personal use.

“It provides the limit of the quantity of cannabis that may be possessed by an adult and criminalizes the smoking of cannabis in public places. ”

The bill will have to face parliamentary consideration and a public consultation process before being signed into law.

Cannabis prohibition is a failed public policy no matter where it exists, including in South Africa. The cannabis plant has been found to be 114 times safer than alcohol, and if alcohol can be used responsibly and legally by adults in South Africa, the same activity should be allowed when it comes to cannabis.

The odds of the measure making it all the way to becoming law is unclear at this time. As previously noted, there are additional steps that have to be overcome in order for the measure to get to the finish line, and there will no doubt be hurdles that pop up. However, the measure moving forward via the recent vote is definitely encouraging.

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The United Kingdom Can Legalize Cannabis To Help Address Institutional Racism

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

Cannabis prohibition is a failed public policy no matter where it exists. It is often a form of institutional racism as well, which is often demonstrated in arrest statistics.

For instance, in the United States, African American individuals are nearly four times as likely to be arrested for cannabis compared to Caucasian individuals. There also seems to be a similar issue in the United Kingdom.

According to cannabis advocates lobbying lawmakers in the United Kingdom, cannabis prohibition has a disproportionate impact on Black people in the U.K. Per Independent:

One in five of those found guilty of cannabis possession in England and Wales last year was black, official figures show, prompting accusations of racial injustice at the heart of the UK’s drug laws.

Campaigners said the rate was grossly disproportionate when only an estimated 3 per cent of the population is black.

They also warned of a link between the convictions and the police stop and search policy, a central concern during the Black Lives Matter protests.

The math speaks for itself. Whenever a subpopulation only makes up 3 percent of the total population, yet is subjected to roughly 20 percent of public policy violation enforcement, it’s blatant institutional discrimination.

If the United Kingdom wants to address racial injustices in the U.K. then it clearly needs to address cannabis prohibition. If Canada and Uruguay can legalize cannabis for adult-use without any major issues then the United Kingdom should be able to do the same.

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U.S. House Votes To Protect Legal Marijuana States From Federal Interventions

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

Below is a press release from NORML containing breaking news:

Washington, DC: Today, the House of Representatives by voice vote passed a wide-ranging amendment restricting the Department of Justice from spending taxpayer dollars to enforce federal anti-marijuana laws in the majority of US states that regulate either the adult-use and/or medical use of cannabis.

A roll call will be made later today and published at NORML.org.

“This is the most significant vote on marijuana policy reform that the House of Representatives has taken this year,” said NORML Political Director Justin Strekal. “The importance of this bipartisan vote cannot be overstated as today; nearly one in four Americans reside in a jurisdiction where the adult use of cannabis is legal under state statute. It is time for Congress to acknowledge this reality and retain these protections in the final spending bill.”

“The next logical step for House Leadership is to bring legislation to the floor to end prohibition and demonstrate to the American people that the era of marijuana criminalization is drawing to a close,” Strekal concluded.

Since 2014, members of Congress have passed annual spending bills that have included language protecting those who engage in the state-sanctioned use, production, and dispensing of medical cannabis from undue prosecution by the Department of Justice. The Blumenauer-McClintock-Norton-Lee amendment expands these protections to also include activities specific to the production and sale of cannabis to adults in the eleven states that have legalized the plant for anyone age 21 or older.

Similar language was passed by the House last year, yet the provision was stripped out of the final appropriations package in the conference committee.

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NORML advocates for changes in public policy so that the responsible possession and use of marijuana by adults is no longer subject to criminal penalties. NORML further advocates for a regulated commercial cannabis market so that activities involving the for-profit production and retail sale of cannabis and cannabis products are safe, transparent, consumer-friendly, and are subject to state and/or local licensure. Finally, NORML advocates for additional changes in legal and regulatory policies so that those who use marijuana responsibly are no longer face either social stigma or workplace discrimination, and so that those with past criminal records for marijuana-related violations have the opportunity to have their records automatically expunged.

Find out more at norml.org and read our factsheets on the most common misconceptions and myths regarding reform efforts around the country at norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets

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Will Cannabis Play A Big Role In The 2020 U.S. Election?

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

Cannabis policy in the United States has advanced by leaps and bounds in the last couple of decades. Non-hemp cannabis is still very much illegal at the federal level in the U.S., however, many states have reformed their cannabis laws, including a growing list of states that have legalized cannabis for adult use.

Support has never been greater for national cannabis legalization in the U.S. with the most recent Gallup poll (October 2019) finding that 66% of U.S. voters support adult-use legalization. That is up from 44% in 2010. The times are changing, and they are changing fast.

The 2020 Election in the United States is quickly approaching, and a number of states are likely to vote on adult-use and/or medical cannabis legalization. Below is a recap, taken from an outstanding summary published by our friends at Leafly:

  • *Arizona (adult-use)
  • *Montana (adult-use)
  • Mississippi (medical)
  • *Nebraska (medical)
  • New Jersey (adult-use)
  • South Dakota (medical and adult-use)

The states that have an asterisk by them have seen campaigns turn in enough signatures to make the ballot, however, final verification by state officials is still pending, so in theory, the measures could not actually make the ballot if enough signatures prove to be invalid. Hopefully, all of them will make the ballot.

Regardless, reform is already going to be on the ballot in at least Mississippi, New Jersey, and South Dakota, which is significant. Also, elected officials will be up for re-election in every state, and fresh faces are trying to become elected in November, and every one of them presumably has some stance on cannabis policy for better or worse.

Cannabis policy is a serious topic now in U.S. politics, and the years of expressing support for cannabis reform being considered ‘political suicide’ are long gone. Now, if a candidate is not on the right side of history, they receive significant push back because cannabis is such a popular and mainstream political issue. It can literally make the difference between someone being elected or not.

Studies have found that when cannabis reform is on the ballot it increases voter turnout because voters that normally don’t participate do so in order to vote for cannabis, and that has a butterfly effect on the rest of the election in the jurisdiction.

If cannabis reform actually makes the ballot in every state listed above and voter turnout spikes, it could have a significant impact on local, state, and even federal elections. Even in states where reform isn’t specifically on the ballot, cannabis voters will still have a significant impact on elections via their support of pro-cannabis candidates over anti-cannabis candidates. The cannabis community is a huge voting block now, thankfully.

The 2020 Election is arguably the most significant election in United States history, and all eyes will be on the results in November. All we can do is wait and watch as things develop and see how the dust settles, but it’s a safe bet that cannabis voters are going to heavily influence voting outcomes across the country.

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New Zealand Recreational Use Vote On The Fence

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

With two months until the vote, opinion polls in New Zealand are beginning to pull slightly ahead in favour of legalization of adult-use cannabis. According to one poll which was published at the end of June, 56% of respondents plan to vote for legalization on September 19. Slightly more women than men (59 to 52%) plan to change the law.

The reason this national vote is quite so momentous is that this is also the date of the New Zealand national elections for president. When Americans go to the polls in November, however, they do not get to vote on federal national reform of the recreational kind. That is why the Kiwi vote is also one the rest of the world is watching right now.

Here is the other interesting nugget about the timing. Beyond the general political refurbishment on the regular schedule, in other words, and cannabis legalization, there are also other big issues on the ballot, like right to die regulations. Beyond legalizing adult use, in other words, there are major public policy issues at stake as well as a national election that are also likely to create heavy turnout and draw out both older and younger voters. Older voters everywhere are also beginning to come around on the issue, but even in New Zealand, this is a demographic with the lowest support for recreational reform. As usual, the highest numbers poll in those in their twenties and thirties.

Why Would A Victory In New Zealand Matter?

This is a very strategic election right now, globally, for the entire issue of cannabis reform. If the measure passes, it will also turn the country into the third (after Canada and Uruguay) which have effectively normalized the entire cannabis conversation.

This in turn will only galvanize activists if not the industry elsewhere – most notably both Europe and the United States (if not Australia beyond that). The industry is slowly starting to normalize, but the endless problems between in-progress regulations (and of every kind) and reform still on drawing boards is absolutely hindering the industry everywhere.

If the Kiwis in other words, move to legalize cannabis for consumers over 20 years old in September, look for that green tide to sweep globally.

The next step for recreational reform is clearly on the agenda will, in other words, be given a big push forward.

For evolving updates on global policy and business regulations, be sure to stay tuned to the International Cannabis Business Conference blog and the return of the conferences everywhere!

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New Zealand Poll Shows Cannabis Legalization Measure Losing

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

As it stands right now, there are two countries that have legalized cannabis for adult use. The first to do so was Uruguay, and the second was Canada. Both countries have experienced their ups and downs when it comes to implementing legalization, but by most measures, the policy change has been a success.

Two other countries, Mexico and Italy, have had Supreme Court decisions rendered which deemed cannabis prohibition to be unconstitutional in those nations. Lawmakers in both countries are working to pass measures to implement legalization per the Court’s directives.

New Zealand will be voting on cannabis legalization in September, and unfortunately for cannabis reform supporters, the latest polling is not favorable. Per 1 News:

Those polled were asked if they are planning on voting for cannabis to be legalised or to remain illegal at this year’s referendum:

Legalise: 40% (up 1 from February’s poll)
Remain illegal: 49% (down 2)
Will not vote: 1%
Don’t know/refused: 11% (down 2)

*Percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.

The results of this poll are clearly disappointing, however, cannabis advocates and activists in New Zealand should use it as an opportunity to get motivated and spread the word about the benefits of cannabis legalization, as well as the harms of prohibition.

Cannabis prohibition is a harmful public policy no matter where it exists, and New Zealand is no exception. Hopefully the polling is off, and people are just scared to answer ‘no’ to a pollster yet plan on voting ‘yes’ on Election Day, which is a common phenomenon in places where cannabis is prohibited.

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Australia Moves Forward Into The Global Cannabis Export Game

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

Cannabis reform is moving forward in interesting ways down under. Not content to “just” begin producing medical crops for domestic consumption, the Australian parliament appears to be following in the steps of Israel. Namely, the Export Control Legislation Amendment to the Certification of Narcotic Exports 2020 bill was approved in mid-June. Beyond the legislative lingo, this basically means that Australian grown narcotic and hemp cannabis products will face less red tape in being exported to the rest of the world.

More interestingly, the amendments to the bill were intended to give an extra boost to the Australian economy by allowing more cannabis to be exported in the wake of the COVID crisis.

Export certification offered by the Australian government will allow Australian exports to meet import requirements of countries now importing cannabis (of both the hemp and medical kind). 

The government is looking in particular at countries China as well as other markets in South-East Asia, Canada and the U.S.

Is There A  Global Demand If Shortage Of “Legitimate” Cannabis?

This is an emerging debate right now as the German market records a record-breaking quarter for insurance approvals and the state of Nord-Rhein Westphalia bans all hemp that is not “Novel Food” regulated. Is there a “legitimate” cannabis shortage?

That is a very good question. 

There is certainly a race to get crops and products certified under existing regulations. However, those are also changing. It is not likely that the current EU regulations will stand as is on the hemp front. It belies common sense to insist that hemp oil pressed from cannabis seeds is somehow “not novel” while that extracted from flowers and leaves is. This is a debate, sadly, that is also almost guaranteed to overshadow the recreational developments now absolutely looming in Europe.

However European regulations are just one part of the overall discussion. It is intriguing that the Australians seem to be targeting hemp markets outside of Europe with this new initiative. Medical products exports from Australia to Europe however, have been in the pipeline for the last several years.

Regardless of the shape of the overall developing market – the reality is that Australia is the largest exporter of food and agriculture generally to both China and other regional neighbours, this is an interesting development. It is an even more positive statement that post-COVID, cannabis will continue to gain status as both an economic crop and an important export product – globally.

Be sure to return to the International Cannabis Business Conference as the world begins to open up post-COVID. Details about returning conferences will begin to be posted soon.

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Is Cannabis Legalization Moving In France?

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

A group of French politicians has specifically called for cannabis reform linked to COVID-19 relief efforts in the country. And this is a giant step forward in a country known for dragging its feet on the latter.

France is one of the slowest moving reform countries in Europe when it comes to cannabis. Even efforts at basic decriminalization have been put in the deep freeze of bureaucratic deliberation, and furthermore, even since Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, promised more reform. 

Ignoring the issue, however, is a temporary holding pattern. There is no more ignoring cannabis reform in Europe and of both kinds. With the World Health Organization on track to tackle cannabis reregulation in December, and numerous European countries publically announcing reform, France is being dragged by both global and more regional developments to take a stand.

Political reluctance is also beginning to fade. This month, a group of 60 French elected officials called for greater movement on legalization. Their arguments range from economic ones (i.e. as COVID relief and redevelopment efforts) to reducing the amount of money spent on policing for a legitimizing market. 

Further, foreign models, in particular Canada, the American states of Washington, California and Colorado, and of course, beyond Uruguay, the European country of Portugal, have all been cited by French politicians as a way to look to the future of cannabis not only as a “drug” but rather a fully recreationally legal substance.

What Is Likely To Happen?

The French have also moved slowly on the medical question. Unlike Germany and the UK, there have been no mass adoptions of cannabinoids into the health system, or at least calls for the same. Unlike Spain and Portugal, and other agrarian European economies, there has also been no advance on the cultivation of even hemp, let alone medical standard GMP crops for economic reasons.

Beyond the early movers in the medical game, even in Europe (and at this point that includes Denmark, Holland, Poland, Malta, Italy and Switzerland) there is of course now Luxembourg’s recreational experiment looming ever closer on the horizon. 

For this reason, it is not inconceivable that the French will move fairly major reform quickly after refusing to examine the smaller issues for so long. However, as everyone knows, in this industry, there are many instances of two steps forward and several back. With German states now deciding to interpret EU laws on CBD, it is conceivable that France could follow the guidance of both the WHO and the EU rather than the rebel states across Europe who are absolutely at this point, beating a different rhythm and on a rapid march into the future of reform.

The International Cannabis Business Conference will return to Europe. In the meantime, keep up with us by following the blog!

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Israel’s Ministerial Committee On Legislation Advances Cannabis Legalization Bills

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

Cannabis legalization is on the move throughout the globe. As it stands right now, only two countries have legalized cannabis for adult use (Uruguay and Canada), however, several other countries are moving in the right direction when it comes to pushing for cannabis legalization.

Two other countries, Mexico and Italy, have seen court decisions rendered which declared cannabis prohibition unconstitutional, so those two countries will join the list of legalized nations once they get measures passed and implemented.

Another nation, Israel, could join the list of legalized countries sooner rather than later. Per JPost:

The Ministerial Committee on Legislation decided on Sunday to advance two separate bills that would legalize cannabis, guaranteeing the coalition’s support for them in the Knesset.

The bills were submitted by Likud MK Sharren Haskel and Blue and White MK Ram Shefa. Haskel said she has fought for the bill for five years but her persistence on behalf of what she said are more than a million cannabis users paid off.

Israel has a long history when it comes to cannabis research and medical cannabis policy. However, it has been slow to move towards full legalization, as Likud MK Sharren Haskel pointed out.

If/when Israel legalizes cannabis for adults, it will hopefully encourage other countries to follow suit. Cannabis prohibition is a failed public policy, both inside the borders of Israel, and beyond.